Decarbonizing attachment for internal-combustion engines



Dec. 4 1923. 1,476,241

R. S. EGGLESTON DECARBONIZING ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINES Filed July 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 rllllllllilllnvllllf.

TTRNEY Dec. 4`, 1923. 1,476,241

R. S. EGGLESTON DECARBONIZING ATTACHMENT EOE INTERNAL coMBusTIoN ENGINES Filed July 2. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TTR/VEY Patented Der. el, i923.

U'NTED STATES ROBERT S. EGGLESTON, GIE ANTVEEP, NEVI YORK. i

DECARBONIZING ATTACHMENT FR Il'TERNAL-CGMBUSTON ENGINES.

Application iled July 2, 1921. Serial No. 482,248.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Rosnnr S. EGeLnsToN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Antwerp, in the county of Jefferson, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful improvements in Decarbonizing Attachments for lnternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a de-carbonizing attachment for internal combustion engines as used more particularly in motor vehicles and by which water from a suitable source of supply is converted into steam by the heated products of combustion and the steam injected with explosive. mixture into the combustion chambers of the engine for assisting in removing and preventing the formation of carbon in said chambers and Y upon the piston .and valves and thereby greatly increasing the working efiiciency, economy of operation and longevity of the working parts of the engine.

One of the objects is to provide a simple and a comparatively inexpensive device of this character capable of being easily and quickly installed in any of the machines now in common use and by which a practically continuous supply of steam may be automatically maintained in such quantities and moisture of content as may be required for varying speed and load of the engine.

Another object is to utilize the partial vacuum created by the action of the piston for drawing the water from a separate source of supply preferably below the level of the engine and thence through a suitable feed indicator in view of the driver so that the amount of water in transit to the steam generator may be accurately determined at Sight. i

Another object is to extend the heater pipe through the major portion of the length of the exhaust manifold and to provide the interior of the pipe with a longitudinally extending coil of wire to cause the water traveling through the heater pipe to impinge against the walls thereof and thereby to expedite the conversion of the water into steam.

A further object is to provide a heat insulated conduit connection between the heater pipe and an insert ring adapted to be secured to and between the carburetor and intake-manifold for delivering the steam to the mixing chamber of the carburetor to combine with the explosive mixture in transit to the explosion chambers of the engine.

Other objects and uses relating to specic vparts of the apparatus will be brought out in the following description.

lu the drawings: y

Fig. l is a perspective view of a portion of an internal combustion engine with a decarbonizing attachment operatively ,connected thereto, portions of the exhaust manifold being broken away to show the heater pipe extending therethrough.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view7 partly broken away, of the heater pipe showing the coils therein.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view (enlarged) of the detached feed indicator showing the means for controlling' the water supply and also the means for admitting atmospheric air to the interior of the tube for removing moisture of condensation and thereby rendering the glass more transparent.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the air conduit and its controlling valve.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the water supply conduit and its controlling valve. j

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the supporting base for the feed indicator showing the valves for controlling the supply of water and air to the interior thereof.

F ig. 7 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectional view ofthe ring-insert between the carburetor and intake-manifold and adjacent ends of the steam supply conduit.

ris illustrated, the de-carbonizing attachment comprises a water container or reservoir -lof any suitable construction adapted to be supported in a convenient position upon the running board of a motor vehicle or in a plane some distance below the level of the engine cylinders, and is provided with outlet-Q- connected by a pipe -3 to the supporting base as lof a feed indicator having a transparent cover -,5-.

An upright tube -6- is secured at its lower end to the base 4e-cto register with the upper end of the pipe -3- and has its upper end returned downwardly to discharge into an outlet opening -7- in the base *4*. This outlet opening *7* is connected to a pipe *8* leading to an upright section *9* of a heater pipe *10*, which latter extends longitudinally through the major portion of the exhaust manifold *l1* to be enveloped in the heated products of combustion passing'through said manifold and thereby to convert the water in said pipe to steam which infturn is del vered to an external conduit *l2* and thence to the carburetor as *13* through the medium of a gasket *l4 the latter being secured to and between, the carburetor *13* and intake-manifold as *l5*.v

The outlet *2* of the water supply tankl *l* is provided with a drain cock *16* for draining off the water from said tank when necessary.

The base *et* of the feed indicator is provided with a needle valve *17* for controlling the supply water to said indicator according to the requirements of the engine and is usually adjusted to cause the water to drip from the upper end of the section *6* into the underlying outlet *7*, thereby admitting only a small quantity of the water to the heater pipe *l0* so that it may be more expeditiously converted into steam in transit through said heater pipe.

The feed indicator is preferably secured in an elevated position within the car and'directly to the switch board as *A* where it Vis conveniently visible by the driver and permits the adjustment of the Valve *17* and an additional air controlling valve *18* from the drivers seat.

It sometimes happens that the interior or exterior of the cover *5* becomes clouded with steam or water of condensation and in order to remove this condition, it is provided with an air tube *19* having its lower end secured in an opening in the base *4l* and extending therethrough to the atmosphere, the passage of the air through said tube being controlled by the valve -*l8*, which is normally closed and is only opened when it is desired to clean the interior of the sight tule.

The pipe-section *9* leading to one end of the heater pipe *lO* is passed vertically through an opening *20* in one side of the exhaust manifold *l1* near one end thereof and serves to hold the heater pipe *l0* against endwise movement, the other end of said heater pipe being extended through the corresponding end wall of the exhaust manifold and is connectetd to the adjacent end of the steam delivery pipe *l2*. The other or rear end of the steam delivery pipe *12* is provided with a nipple *2l* tapped into one side of the ring *14*, which in turn is secured between the upper end of the carburetor *13* and lower side of the intake-manifold *l5* and communicates with the mixing chamber of the carburetor to form a part thereof.

O parution.

rIhis suction or partial vacuum draws the water from the tank *l* through the pipe *3* into the feed indicator *5* where it is caused to fall drop by drop into the inlet end of the pipe *8* and thence to the heater pipe *lO*, the coil *10* servingto progressively deflect the water against the sides of said pipe to be converted into steam thereby, said steam then passing through the pipe *l2* to the mixing chamber of the carburetor where it mingles with the air and fuel to increase the combustion and prevent the formation of carbon.

VJ hat I claim is:

l. In combination with an internal combustion engine having` an exhaust manifold and an intake-manifold, a heater pipe having a straight portion extending longitudinally through the major portion of the exhaust manifold, a wire coil extending lengthwise of and within the straight portion of the heater pipe, a carburetor, means for supplying water to one end of the heater pipe, and connections between the other end of the heater pipe and carburetor.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold and an intake-manifold, a carburetor connected to the intake manifold, a source of water supply, a heater pipe partly within the exhaust manifold, pipe connections between one end of the heater pipe and said source of water supply including a feed indicator, and additional pipe connections between the other end of the heater pipe and carburetor, said feed indicator having a conduit leading to the exterior thereof for the admission of air to the interior and a valve for controlling the admission of air to the iiidicator.

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine havinggan exhaust manifold and a carburetor, a heater pipe deriving heat from the exhaust manifold and connected to the carburetor, a source of water supply, pipe connections between the heater pipe and source of water supply including a feed indicator, and means for admitting atmospheric air from the outside to the interior of said feed indicator for cleaning purposes.

l. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold and a carburetor, a heater pipe deriving heat from the exhaust manifold and connected to the carburetor, a source ofV water supply, pipe connections between the heater pipe and source of water supply including a feed indicator, and valve-controlled means air from the outfor admitting' atmospheric feed indicator for side to the interior of said cleaning purposes.

5. The combination with an exhaust manifold, an intake manifold and a carburetor of an internal combustion engine, of a Water container below haust manifold, a Water feed indicator above the level of said manifold and provided With a Water outlet and a Separate air inlet, a feed pipe leading from said container and discharging into the feed inthe level of the exdicator above the outlet, a discharge pipe leading` from said outlet to theintake manifold, and having a portion thereof Within the exhaust manifold, and a valve Controlling the air inlet to the feed indicator.

In Witness whereof have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of June, 1921.

ROBERT SEGGLESTON. Witnesses: D. M. SULIAVAN,

GEORGE L. ROGERS. 

